What opportunities for project based learning currently exist within your department?
Our department has many opportunities for PBL! Specifically in the 9th grade, students participate in Generation Citizen: a civic engagement program that culminizes with a community service learning or action civics component. In other grades students participate in Model UN and National History Day. Students accross grade levels are asked to apply what they know in a project based learning format.
What opportunities does project based learning provide for our students?
Students are able to apply what they have learned to a real-world/hands on project. It gives them an opportunity to see that content is not learned in isolation. Instead it is relevant and can be applied to a number of different settings. Perhaps the most meaningful is when students can use PBL in a cross disciplinary approach.
What potential weaknesses exist in this approach to education?
The major weakness of PBL in my experience is time. The time for careful planning, preparation and execution tends to me much more than a traditional classroom activity allows. In addition, PBL is more difficult to assess in some cases and students are often paired up or working in groups. The key to PBL, in my opinion, is preparation. In order for it to be successful, thoughtful steps must be taken to make sure that students have a clear purpose and vision.
Glogster:missbrownmhs
Reflection:
This is definitely a richer and more useful experience than the traditional poster activity. By including text, pictures, music, video, and other media students are asked to interact with multiple modals. I found that when creating my own glog I was more careful in planning and more deliberate in choosing what material I would use. I made sure to include background info on my topic as well as pictures, video, and representative icons. I think that students will also find this to be a useful tool for presenting their work. I love this as a presentation tool and would love to see students use it to "teach" the class!
Session 5
What opportunities for project based learning currently exist within your department?
Our department has many opportunities for PBL! Specifically in the 9th grade, students participate in Generation Citizen: a civic engagement program that culminizes with a community service learning or action civics component. In other grades students participate in Model UN and National History Day. Students accross grade levels are asked to apply what they know in a project based learning format.
What opportunities does project based learning provide for our students?
Students are able to apply what they have learned to a real-world/hands on project. It gives them an opportunity to see that content is not learned in isolation. Instead it is relevant and can be applied to a number of different settings. Perhaps the most meaningful is when students can use PBL in a cross disciplinary approach.
What potential weaknesses exist in this approach to education?
The major weakness of PBL in my experience is time. The time for careful planning, preparation and execution tends to me much more than a traditional classroom activity allows. In addition, PBL is more difficult to assess in some cases and students are often paired up or working in groups. The key to PBL, in my opinion, is preparation. In order for it to be successful, thoughtful steps must be taken to make sure that students have a clear purpose and vision.
Glogster:missbrownmhs
Reflection:
This is definitely a richer and more useful experience than the traditional poster activity. By including text, pictures, music, video, and other media students are asked to interact with multiple modals. I found that when creating my own glog I was more careful in planning and more deliberate in choosing what material I would use. I made sure to include background info on my topic as well as pictures, video, and representative icons. I think that students will also find this to be a useful tool for presenting their work. I love this as a presentation tool and would love to see students use it to "teach" the class!